The Mayor of Rio and Rio 2016 launched on Friday (13 May) the Rio Cultural Passport, which will provide free or discounted entry to more than 700 cultural attractions in the host city of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, The programme runs from May to September and includes plays, concerts, dance performances, art exhibitions, films and street events.

Brazilians and foreigners who are resident in Brazil can obtain the Rio Cultural Passport for free. Tourists will be charged 15 reais. The pass, and the full programme, can be obtained from www.passaporteculturalrio.com. 

Next week, the website for the cultural programme will go live. It will be available in Portuguese, English and Spanish. A mobile app will be ready for downloading from the Apple Store. 

During the Games, passport holders will also be able to benefit from discounted metro fares at weekends.

Presenting the initiative at Rio's brand-new Museum of Tomorrow, Mayor Eduardo Paes said the Rio Cultural Passport would help visitors appreciate the full range of Rio's cultural offerings. 

Carla Camurati, director of culture at Rio 206, said: "Eighty-four days from the Olympic Games, the Rio Cultural Passport will play an essential part in highlighting the culture of Brazil and of Rio during Games time. Rio 2016 is working side by side with the city, state and federal governments to showcase the breadth and depth of Brazilian culture."